China’s ice and snow industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, fuelled by a surge in youth participation and rising demand for winter sports.

Ski instructor Xin Dawei at the National Alpine Skiing Center described this season as the busiest in his nine-year career, with classes nearly fully booked and instructor numbers up by a third to meet soaring demand.

According to a report by China Economic Net, inspired by Winter Olympic stars Eileen Gu and Su Yiming, an increasing number of young Chinese are becoming enthusiastic about winter sports. This growing interest is driving the industry toward the goal of surpassing 1 trillion RMB this year. In comparison, the industry's value was projected at 970 billion RMB in 2024, and when China was awarded the 2022 Winter Olympics in 2015, it stood at 270 billion RMB.

E-commerce platforms are also riding this momentum. JD.com reported over 80 percent year-on-year growth in ski gear sales, with southern provinces – traditionally snow-free – seeing sales surge by more than 100 percent. This boom extends to indoor ski resorts, positioning China as the world’s largest market for year-round indoor skiing.

The sector’s rapid expansion is attracting global brands. Norwegian sportswear giant KARI TRAA and Canadian winter gear firms are intensifying efforts to capture market share through online platforms and social media. China's government has set ambitious goals, aiming to grow the ice and snow economy to RMB 1.2 trillion by 2027, solidifying the nation’s status as the fastest-growing winter sports market globally.